Thursday, April 19, 2007

I'm sure you could add others but my criteria was whether the cover was better than the original (or at least as good as, but in a new and exciting way).

Here goes:

1. Route 66 by Depeche Mode. It's a bit embarrassing to admit I'm still a Depeche Mode fan. I had to Google the original artist, I wasn't sure if it was Nat King Cole--it was. But this classic song has also been sung by The Rolling Stones, Manhattan Transfer, Buckwheat Zydeco and The Cramps (and I cheated on those last two--have you even heard of those bands?) If you want to hear more, try itunes--I bet there are others who've sung it too, but D.M. has the best version.

2. Hotel California by The Gypsy Kings. This is one of the greatest American songs ever. EVER. I'm not saying that the Gypsy Kings sing it better, but their version is so fun, so ethnic, so cheerful (and as we all know, Hotel California is all about sunshine and rainbows) I love it. It may not be better but it's a unique version that's terrific.

3. Painted Black by U2. As much as I love classic rock I've never been much of a Stones fan--for as much music as they've produced very few songs do it for me ("Ruby Tuesday" and "Jumpin' Jack Flash" are the exceptions). I liked the original "Painted Black," but U2 gives it a cool edge (ha! "Edge," get it? You'd have to be a fan to understand . . . ) and it deserves a ranking on this humble list.

4. Songbird by Eva Cassidy. Another classic song done better. I love Fleetwood Mac (their album "Rumors" is fabulous) but Eva sings it better. She's amazing.

5. I Got No Strings by The Gypsy Kings. You'll crack up when I tell you that this was one of the songs from Disney's Pinocchio. Bizarre? You betcha. But it's so terrific a cover--you'd hardly recognize the original song at all I promise--that it's a must-hear.

6. Ain't No Sunshine by The Lighthouse Family. I've already mentioned this song as one of my favorites on my current playlist but it too is better than the 1970 Bill Withers original. It's got a hip new beat yet keeps the theme of the original.

7. Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel. Does this count as a cover? I mean it's an English folk song from the dawn of time so I suppose this would be the ultimate remake and it's beautiful. Every time, thirty years later, always.

8. There Is A Light by The Ocean Blue. Besides Depeche Mode I'm also a Smiths fan. Nothing like the Smiths to cheer you up when you're down (listen to "Girlfriend in a Coma" whenever you need a pick-me-up) but I was at an Ocean Blue concert where they sang this classic and when they got to the chorus, "And if a double-decker bus . . . crashes into us . . . to die by your side . . . is such a wonderful way to die . . . " and I was singing with the rest of the crowd. Terrific cover though I don't think they ever actually recorded it. Does it count? You be the judge.

9. The Nearness of You by Norah Jones. Everything Norah sings is lovely, but she makes this Hoagie Carmichael (think "Heart and Soul") classic even better. It's haunting, it's lyrical, it's a new classic. Is that an oxymoron?

10. Over the Rainbow by Eva Cassidy. I never cared that much for either the Wizard of Oz or Judy Garland's signature song. I mean it was okay, but nothing like Ella Fitzgerald singing "Someone to Watch Over Me." But Eva. EVA sings it with everything I'm missing from Judy. I know I'll get hate mail over this one, but there it is.

11. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by They Might Be Giants. Obviously I'm still stuck in an 80s/90s time warp but you can't beat this catchy remake which was based on Irving Berlin's "Puttin' on the Ritz"--a catchy song in it's own right and admirably remade by Taco back in 1980-something. Yes, I'm still stuck in the 80s, can you believe I remember Taco? The lyrics are fun and the tune is catchy and They Might Be Giants make it unforgettable.

12. Pipeline by Stevie Ray Vaughn. This cover from the 1950s tune is still on my workout playlist and if you were to take a peek around here some time you might catch me doing a wicked air guitar that the Great Stevie Himself would envy.

13. American Woman by Lenny Kravitz. I love this cover. Better than the rather droning and annoying original. It's got the classic melded with the modern in a way that makes me want to dance every time.

***

Good enough? I find it a crack up how so many 80s hits are creeping up in movie soundtracks as remakes. "Just Like Heaven" by the Cure or "I'll Melt with You" by Modern English were great songs and didn't need to be remade--and the covers are far inferior to the techno-bop they morphed into. If you feel I've missed a cover that should be added feel free to correct the oversight by leaving it in the comments.

It's funny...a friend of mine knows how much I love the song, Over the Rainbow and she sent me Eva Cassidy's version. Didn't care for it! I do love Iz Kamakawiwo'ole's version, what a beautiful voice he had!

*psst* it's Paint It Black, not Painted Black ;) I believe it's a reference to how doors were painted black when a house was in mourning. If I recall corrently, a blue door indicated there was a daughter of marriageble age inside and suiters were welcome. red doors indicated that all were welcome.

*sigh* add me to the embarrassed group. I've loved DM since I was a little sprout visiting the auld sod.

I love this post! I didn't know U2 did Painted Black, but I've heard the Vanessa Carlton version. I also love Norah's "The Nearness of You" and Lenny's "American Woman," and you're right about the Cure's song not needing to be redone. (Is that from the "50 First Dates" soundtrack?)

I would like to add as an honorable mention "I've Got You, Babe" by UB40 (and Chrissy Hinde), which is better than Sonny & Cher's version.

The original Bob Dylan song was a sparse and minimalist acoustic number, off the album John Wesley Harding, and it was fine in itself. But Jimi Hendrix took it and turned it into a trippy, electric-guitar-thrashed, psychedelic screamer. I'm sure it is so good that Dylan himself declares it as one of his favourite Dylan covers.

Well I didn't put it on because I didn't realize it was a cover. I'm actually not a Dylan fan and don't have a one of his songs. I do, however, have Jimi's song on my favorites list and listen to it frequently--now I know more thanks.

I'm stuck in that 80s/90s timewarp with you. I love DM's Route 66, TMBG's Istanbul (not Constantinople), and U2's Painted Black. I also love Napthaline's cover of the Dead Can Dance song, In Power We Entrust the Love Advocated.

Oh, I absolutely LOVE Eva Cassidy's version of Songbird. It is just full of emotion. I am a Fleetwood Mac fan myself, but I agree with you that Eva's remake seems to be just that bit better than the original. Great pick!

Actually I have heard of Buckwheat Zydeco. It's a cheat though, I studied American Folk Song and Ballad in college. I'm a bit of a purist at heart and generally like the older version better, that techno stuff can really crap up a good song... I'll give you Scarborough Fair as the latest incarnation in the folk process, a remake in its way, and a truly gorgeous song.

I hate to contradict a lady, but are you sure Scarborough Fair is an old English folk song? I'm English and I have never heard it by anyone other than S & G. I thought it was composed especially for "The Graduate", though I am ready to be corrected if anyone knows different.

Love the 80's theme because, you know, I'm old. I agree with many of your remake choices, especially 6, 9 (I've had the pleasure of seeing Norah Jones twice now - she's even better live), 11 and 13. I like U2's remake of Painted Black; however, I think Vanessa Carlton's version is also exceptional.

And one of my favorite remakes is Ronan Keeting's When You Say Nothing At All. Beautiful.

Oh, and I can't forget about Lick the Tins "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You." They beat the sequined pants off Elvis Presley with that recording.

I'm on my way to find some Eva Cassidy. She hasn't been on my radar before, but she's beeping now.

I was getting bummed, because I hadn't heard ANY of these covers until I got to 12 and 13. I'm not a blues fan, but Stevie Ray's Pipeline is great, and I know lots of people who hate Lenny Kravitz, but I like his music a lot. I agree that his American Woman is much better than the original.

Yeah, the Smiths/Morrisey weren't what one should listen to to improve your mood, but their lyrics could be like a loose tooth, you can't leave it alone. Morrisey's November Spawned A Monster comes to mind.

I'll check some of these out. Many times I like covers better than the originals.

Also, being a big Monkees fan, while I like Smashmouth, I hated their remake of "I'm a Believer" for the Shrek movie. You can't improve on Micky's vocals and that's that. It's like editing Hamlet and thinking you made it better.

Well, I'm not sure what this says about me, but I only recognized "Over the Rainbow" and "Istanbul/Constantinople". Maybe all it says is that I'm young, but probably it says that I'm quite culturaly unaware.

Here I am, late to the party and it's not even noon. 50 comments already! You hit a nerve with this one!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Depeche Mode's Route 66. AWESOME.

Haven't heard the Gypsey Kings do Hotel California yet, but I do love the original.

And I love both the They Might Be Giants and the Lenny Kravitz versions you mentioned. They rock! I'll be Lenny's American Woman any day of the week, and Twice on Sunday!

Most interesting remake, to me, is the Scissor Sisters covering "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd. How they had the chutspa to take a song that makes you want to kill yourself, and turn it into a song that makes you want to shake your ass and DANCE is beyond me.

I love "I Don't Feel Like Dancing" by Scissor Sisters, I'd never heard of the group till I saw the creepy/hypnotic video at Sweetney's months ago.

I looked up their Comfortably Numb cover on itunes and it didn't give me enough of it to give me much idea if I'd like it--the original is so great. It was our senior song, or prom song or something like that.

I had to go look up Johnny Cash's Personal Jesus and I have to say it's better than D.M's version. It sounds more soulful, like the song should be.

Dan, I looked up Sinead's version of All Apologies and have to say that I still like Nirvana's better, but I do love her voice and she has some great other covers "I Wanna Be Loved By You" for example.

There are a few albums like Rod Stewart's versions of American Classics which are wonderful, all, but I couldn't say that I thought he sang it better than the original. Hard to beat the likes of Ella, Billie, Louis, and the rest. They're hard to top, even for Mr. Stewart.

I am musically behind the times. But I now feel a sudden urge to go and dig up my Depress Mode tapes from high school and give them a listen. A remake I love is Midnight Train to Georgia redone by the Indigo Girls. I have it on one of their live albums. Unfortunately their last few albums have not been to my liking. I only like their older music.Another favorite remake is Dancing Queen, orinally done by Abba, and remade by The Real Group (my all time favorite group. They are from Sweden and sing A Capella/Jazz they have a fabulous blend and talent.)

I'm WAY late to the party but I had to chime in with a couple of my favorites. Cake's cover of "I Will Survive" never fails to make me smile, and though many will find this sacreligious, I just love The Lemonheads' cover of "Mrs. Robinson." I also have to respectfull disagree with whomever didn't like the PSB cover of "Always on my Mind" - love their version. Thanks for such a great list!